Effect of viscous dissipation on mixed convection heat transfer

in a vertical tube with uniform wall heat flux

A. Barletta, E. Rossi di Schio
Abstract The laminar and parallel owof a Newtonian uid
in a vertical cylindrical duct with circular cross section has
been analysed. Both the viscous dissipation effect and the
buoyancy effect have been taken into account. The mo-
mentum balance equation and the energy balance equation
have been solved by means of a perturbation method, in
the case of a uniform heat ux prescribed at the wall of the
duct. The velocity distribution, the temperature distribu-
tion, the Nusselt number and the Fanning friction factor
have been evaluated analytically. Moreover, the velocity and
temperature of the uid have been compared with those
obtained in two special cases: forced convection with vis-
cous dissipation (i.e. negligible buoyancy effect); mixed
convection with negligible effects of viscous dissipation.
List of symbols
A [Gr
+
=(4Re)[
1=4
, dimensionless parameter
Br lU
2
0
=(2R
0
q
0
), Brinkman number
c
p
specic heat at constant pressure, J/kgK
f Fanning friction factor, dened by Eq. (22)
Gr 8R
3
0
gbDT=m
2
, Grashof number
h q
0
=(T
w
T
0
), convection coefcient, W/m
2
K
I
a
modied Bessel function of rst kind and order a
J
a
Bessel function of rst kind and order a
k thermal conductivity, W/mK
n non negative integer
Nu 2 R
0
q
0
=[k(T
w
T
b
)[, Nusselt number
Nu
m
2R
0
q
0
=[k(T
w
T
0
)[, modied Nusselt number
p pressure, Pa
P p q
0
gX, difference between pressure and hydro-
static pressure, Pa
q
0
prescribed wall heat ux, W/m
2
r R=R
0
, dimensionless radius
r
/
; r
//
dummy integration variables
r
c
Gr/Re[
max
, radius of convergence of the perturba-
tion series
r
+
c
Gr
+
=Re[
max
, modied radius of convergence of the
perturbation series
R radial coordinate, m
R
0
radius of the pipe, m
Re 2R
0
U
0
=m, Reynolds number
T temperature, K
T
0
mean temperature dened by Eq. (2), K
U velocity component in the axial direction, m/s
U
0
mean value of U, m/s
u U=U
0
, dimensionless axial velocity
u
n
(r) dimensionless functions dened by Eq. (33)
X axial coordinate, m
Greek symbols
a integer
b thermal expansion coefcient, K
1
DT lU
2
0
=k reference temperature difference, K
g dimensionless parameter dened by Eq. (12)
g
n
dimensionless coefcients dened by Eq. (33)
0 (T T
0
)=DT, dimensionless temperature
0
b
dimensionless bulk temperature, dened by
Eq. (19)
0
n
(r) dimensionless functions dened by Eq. (33)
k (R
2
0
=lU
0
)dP=dX. dimensionless pressure-drop
parameter
k
n
dimensionless coefcients dened by Eq. (33)
l dynamic viscosity, Pa s
m l=q
0
, kinematic viscosity, m
2
/s
N Gr/Re, dimensionless parameter
q mass density, kg/m
3
q
0
reference mass density, evaluated at T = T
0
, kg/m
3
s
w
wall shear stress, Pa
Superscripts and subscripts
+ alternative dimensionless quantities
w quantity evaluated at the wall
1
Introduction
In the literature on convection heat transfer in ducts,
combined forced and free ows have been investigated by
many authors for different geometries and boundary
conditions, with reference to vertical or inclined ducts.
The interest deserved to the argument is due to its im-
portance in many technological applications, such as the
design of heat exchangers, of nuclear reactors or of the
cooling systems for electronic devices. Most of the litera-
ture on the argument has been summarised in the review
paper by Aung [1].
In recent years, many novel investigations in the eld
of combined forced and free convection in circular
ducts have been presented. An experimental study has
Heat and Mass Transfer 38 (2001) 129140 Springer-Verlag 2001
129
Received on 26 June 2000
A. Barletta (&), E. Rossi di Schio
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Energetica
Nucleare e del Controllo Ambientale (DIENCA)
Universita di Bologna
Viale Risorgimento 2. I-40136 Bologna, Italy
been performed by Lavine et al. [2]. In this paper, the
authors consider an inclined heated pipe and study a case
of opposing mixed convection. Temperature proles in
the uid have been measured and the existence of ow
reversal regions has been observed. An extension of the
analytical methods employed by Morton [3] has been
performed by Van Dyke [4], in order to investigate the
laminar and fully developed ow in circular ducts. In
Ref. [3], buoyancy induced ow in a vertical circular
duct is studied in the case of a uniformly heated or
cooled wall. The momentum and energy balance equa-
tions have been analytically solved and expressed in
terms of Bessel functions. Van Dyke [4] provides an
extension of the analysis presented by Morton, by util-
ising a perturbation method to solve the momentum
and energy balance equations for a uniformly heated
horizontal circular duct.
In the last years, most of the literature on mixed con-
vection in circular ducts deals with computational meth-
ods [510]. For instance, Choudhury and Patankar [5]
analyse the simultaneously developing laminar ow and
heat transfer in an inclined pipe, with a boundary condi-
tion given by a uniform wall temperature. The governing
equations are solved numerically by means of a modied
nite difference method. Plots of the axial evolution of the
velocity proles as well as of the Nusselt number and
friction factor are reported. Many papers consider hori-
zontal pipes, with boundary conditions either of uniform
wall temperature [6, 7] or of uniform wall heat ux [8, 9].
In Ref. [6], the tube is kept at a uniform and constant wall
temperature. The governing equations are solved numer-
ically in the entrance region, by means of a control volume
method. Shome and Jensen [7] consider a simultaneously
developing laminar ow and heat transfer, with variable
viscosity. The method utilised is a general purpose com-
mercial program, based on the nite volume method. Plots
of the Fanning friction factor and of the mean values of the
Nusselt number are reported versus the axial coordinate.
In Refs. [8, 9], Choi and Choi investigate heat transfer in a
pipe whose upper half is insulated and whose lower half is
subjected to a boundary condition of constant and uni-
form wall heat ux. The governing equations are solved by
means of a control volume method. In Ref. [8], the fully
developed region is considered, and plots of the Nusselt
number and of the Fanning friction factor have been re-
ported versus the Grashof number. In Ref. [9], the devel-
oping region is analysed, and both the axial momentum
transport and the axial heat conduction in the uid have
been taken into account. Plots of the friction factor and of
the average Nusselt number are reported versus the axial
coordinate.
When the pipe is vertical, two different ow cases arise:
buoyancy assisted ow and buoyancy opposed ow. In
Ref. [10], both cases are considered, for the entrance re-
gion of a circular pipe with a boundary condition given
either by uniform wall temperature or by uniform wall
heat ux. The effect of viscous dissipation in the uid is
neglected, and the numerical method employed is a con-
trol volume method. The authors point out how buoyancy
affects the local and average friction factors and Nusselt
numbers.
In the literature, the effect of viscous dissipation in
laminar convection is often neglected. Indeed, this hy-
pothesis is reasonable depending on the uid properties
and on the ow characteristics. In fact, it is well known
that, in the case of forced convection, both in the ther-
mal entry region and in the fully developed region the
viscous dissipation effect becomes relevant for uids
with a high viscosity coefcient and a small thermal
conductivity and for ow regimes with small values of
the wall heat ux. For instance, in Ref. [11] the laminar
and fully developed forced convection is considered. In
this paper, the role of the Brinkman number is em-
phasised in the analysis of empirical correlations between
convective heat transfer parameters in microchannels
[11]. There is no reason why the effect of viscous dis-
sipation should be a priori neglected, in cases of com-
bined forced and free convection. In fact, the importance
of the coupled effects of buoyancy and viscous dissipa-
tion is outlined in several papers [1216]. For instance,
in Ref. [12], the authors study the fully developed mixed
convection with viscous dissipation in a vertical circular
tube, whose wall temperature undergoes a linear axial
change. Three different methods are employed: a power
series method, the Galerkin's method and a numerical
integration method (RungeKutta). Rokerya and Iqbal
[13] extend the analysis performed in Ref. [12] to the
case of laminar ow in a vertical concentric annulus. The
solution is obtained by utilising the RungeKutta inte-
gration method. In Refs. [1416] a perturbation method
solution is employed. In Ref. [14], the author investigates
the fully developed mixed convection in a vertical cir-
cular duct with uniform wall temperature. In this paper,
forced convection with viscous dissipation is regarded as
the base heat transfer process, and the velocity and
temperature distributions in the uid are expressed in
terms of a perturbation series, with respect to a pa-
rameter which accounts for the effect of buoyancy. While
in this paper the bulk temperature of the uid is chosen
as the reference temperature in the Boussinesq approxi-
mation, further analyses [17] have shown that the mean
temperature in a duct section is the best choice for the
reference temperature. This improved model is employed
in Ref. [15], where the effect of viscous dissipation in
combined forced and free convection is investigated in a
vertical channel with a uniform temperature on one wall
and a uniform heat ux on the other wall. In Ref. [16],
the analysis presented in Ref. [15] is extended to the case
of uniform heat uxes on both walls of the vertical
channel.
The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of
buoyancy and of viscous dissipation on fully developed
laminar ow in a uniformly heated vertical pipe. The
momentum and energy balance equations will be solved by
means of a perturbation method, in which the regime of
forced convection with viscous dissipation is assumed as
the base heat transfer process. Then, the effect of buoyancy
will be taken into account through the expansion in a
power series with respect to the ratio between the Grashof
number and the Reynolds number. This solution method
will allow also the evaluation of the Fanning friction factor
and of the Nusselt number.
130
2
Governing equations
In this section, the momentum balance equation and the
energy balance equation are written in a dimensionless
form. Then, the velocity eld and the temperature eld are
determined analytically in the special case of negligible
viscous dissipation.
Let us consider a Newtonian uid which steadily ows
in a vertical cylindrical tube with circular cross section and
radius R
0
. The ow is assumed to be laminar and parallel.
The latter condition implies that the only non vanishing
component of the velocity eld U is the vertical compo-
nent U, i.e. the component along the X axis. The X axis is
parallel to the gravitational acceleration g, but with op-
posite direction. A uniform wall heat ux is prescribed, so
that both U and T depend only on R and X. The continuity
equation implies that the velocity eld is solenoidal, i.e.
oU=oX = 0.
According to the Boussinesq approximation, for the
evaluation of the gravitational body force the mass
density is assumed to depend linearly on temperature,
namely
q = q
0
1 b(T T
0
) [ [ ; (1)
where the reference temperature is chosen as the mean
temperature in a tube cross section,
T
0
=
2
R
2
0

R
0
0
T(X; R)RdR : (2)
Moreover, Morton's approximation [3] is employed. Ac-
cording to this approximation, even if the reference tem-
perature T
0
depends on the X coordinate, the
thermophysical properties q
0
, b, c
p
and l involved in the
momentum and energy balance equations are treated as
constants.
The R-momentum balance equation allows one to
conclude that P depends only on X, where P = p q
0
gX is
the difference between the pressure and the hydrostatic
pressure. On the other hand, the X-momentum balance
equation is:
m
R
d
dR
R
dU
dR

1
q
0
dP
dX
gb(T T
0
) = 0 : (3)
The velocity distribution can be determined by solving Eq.
(3) together with the no-slip boundary condition and the
symmetry condition at the axis of the cylinder, namely
U(R
0
) = 0;
dU
dR

R=0
= 0 : (4)
By calculating the derivative with respect to X of both
sides of Eq. (3), one obtains
oT
oX
=
dT
0
dX

1
q
0
g b
d
2
P
dX
2
: (5)
On account of Eq. (2), if both sides of Eq. (5) are multi-
plied by R and integrated with respect to R in the interval
(0, R
0
), one can conclude that d
2
P=dX
2
= 0, so that Eq. (5)
yields
oT
oX
=
dT
0
dX
= constant : (6)
As a consequence of Eq. (6) one can conclude that the
dimensionless temperature # = (T T
0
)=DT is indepen-
dent of the axial coordinate.
The energy balance equation can be expressed as
q
0
c
p
U
dT
0
dX
=
k
R
o
oR
R
oT
oR

l
dU
dR

2
: (7)
If the wall heat ux is uniform, the thermal boundary
condition is given by
k
oT
oR

R=R
0
= q
0
: (8)
Moreover, a symmetry condition holds at the axis of the
cylinder, i.e.
oT
oR

R=0
= 0 : (9)
If both sides of Eq. (7) are multiplied by R and integrated
with respect to R in the interval (0, R
0
), one obtains
q
0
c
p
U
0
R
0
2
dT
0
dX
= q
0

l
R
0

R
0
0
dU
dR

2
RdR ; (10)
where U
0
is the mean axial velocity in a duct cross section,
namely
U
0
=
2
R
2
0

R
0
0
U(R)RdR : (11)
By introducing the dimensionless parameter
g =
2R
0
lU
2
0
q
0

l
R
0

R
0
0
dU
dR

2
RdR

; (12)
Eq. (10) can be rewritten as
dT
0
dX
= g
lU
0
q
0
c
p
R
2
0
: (13)
Moreover, by substituting Eq. (13) into Eq. (7), the energy
balance equation can be rewritten as
k
R
o
oR
R
oT
oR

=
lU
0
R
2
0
gU l
dU
dR

2
: (14)
It must be pointed out that, in the case of negligible vis-
cous dissipation, if the uniform wall heat ux q
0
is known,
also the axial gradient dT
0
=dX can be obtained through
the integral balance expressed by Eq. (10). On the con-
trary, Eq. (10) shows that, if the effect of viscous dissipa-
tion is non-negligible, the relation between the quantities
q
0
and dT
0
=dX is not trivial. In particular, if one prescribes
the value of q
0
, Eq. (7) does not allow one to obtain the
temperature gradient dT
0
=dX, unless the velocity prole
U(R) has been determined by solving the set of Eqs. (3),
(4) and (6)(9). Therefore, if q
0
is prescribed, one cannot
consider also dT
0
=dX as prescribed. For this reason, it is
131
not possible to compare the results obtained in the present
paper to those presented in Iqbal et al. [12], where a
prescribed value of dT
0
=dX is assumed.
Equations (3), (4), (6)(9) and (13) can be rewritten in
terms of dimensionless quantities as follows:
1
r
d
dr
r
du
dr

= k
Gr
4Re
#;
u(1) = 0;
du
dr

r=0
= 0 ;
(15)
1
r
d
dr
r
d#
dr

= gu
du
dr

2
;
d#
dr

r=1
=
1
2Br
;
d#
dr

r=0
= 0 :
(16)
Equations (2) and (11) imply that two additional con-
straints have to be satised, namely

1
0
u(r)r dr =
1
2
; (17)

1
0
#(r)r dr = 0 : (18)
For prescribed values of Br and Gr/Re, the solution of the
boundary value problems (15) and (16), together with the
relations (17) and (18) yields the dimensionless velocity
eld u(r), the dimensionless temperature eld #(r) and the
values of the parameters g and k.
By employing the denition of bulk temperature of the
uid, which can be written in a dimensionless form as
#
b
= 2

1
0
#(r) u(r)r dr ; (19)
one can express the Nusselt number in terms of dimen-
sionless quantities as follows:
Nu =
2R
0
T(R
0
; X) T
b
(X)
oT
oR

R=R
0
=
1
Br[#(1) #
b
[
:
(20)
Moreover, according to Refs. [3, 16, 17], one can introduce
also a modied Nusselt number, by employing, in the
denition of the reference temperature difference, the
mean temperature in a pipe cross section. This modied
Nusselt number is written, in terms of dimensionless
quantities, as
Nu
m
=
2R
0
T(R
0
; X) T
0
(X)
oT
oR

R=R
0
=
1
Br#(1)
: (21)
The Fanning friction factor is dened as follows:
f =
s
w
1
2
q
0
U
2
0
=
4
Re
du
dr

r=1
: (22)
On account of Eq. (15), an integration with respect to r in
the interval 0 _ r _ 1 yields du=dr[
r=1
= k=2, so that the
Fanning friction factor can be rewritten as
f =
2k
Re
: (23)
Equation (23) shows that the relation between the friction
factor f and the dimensionless pressure-drop parameter is
not affected by the Grashof number, i.e. the ratio f Re=k in
the case of mixed convection is the same as in the case of
forced convection.
Let us now evaluate the velocity eld and the tem-
perature distribution in the uid, with reference to the
special case of negligible viscous dissipation (Br = 0).
Since the dimensionless quantities g and Gr are ill-
dened in the case of vanishing Brinkman number, one
can introduce the following alternative dimensionless
quantities:
#
+
= Br # =
k(T T
0
)
2q
0
R
0
;
g
+
= Br g = 1 2Br

1
0
du
dr

2
r dr;
Gr
+
=
Gr
Br
=
16R
4
0
gbq
0
k m
2
:
(24)
By employing these quantities, one obtains the following
boundary value problem:
1
r
d
dr
r
du
dr

= k
Gr
+
4Re
#
+
;
u(1) = 0;
du
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
u(r)r dr =
1
2
;
(25)
1
r
d
dr
r
d#
+
dr

= g
+
u(r) Br
du
dr

2
;
d#
+
dr

r=1
=
1
2
;
d#
+
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
#
+
(r)r dr = 0 :
(26)
Moreover, in the limit Br 0, one can notice that g
+
1.
Equations (25)(26) yield
1
r
d
dr
r
d
dr
1
r
d
dr
r
du
dr

Gr
+
4Re
u(r) = 0;
u(1) = 0;
du
dr

r=0
= 0;
d
dr
1
r
d
dr
r
du
dr

r=1
=
Gr
+
8Re
;
d
dr
1
r
d
dr
r
du
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
u(r)r dr =
1
2
; (27)
#
+
=
4Re
Gr
+
1
r
d
dr
r
du
dr

k

; k = 2
du
dr

r=1
:
(28)
The solution of the boundary value problem described by
Eq. (27) can be expressed as
132
u(r) =
A
2
J
0
(A)I
0
(Ar) I
0
(A)J
0
(Ar)
J
0
(A)I
1
(A) I
0
(A)J
1
(A)
; (29)
where A
4
= Gr
+
=(4Re).
Moreover, by employing Eq. (29), Eq. (28) yields
#
+
(r)
=
J
0
(A) A I
0
(Ar) 2I
1
(A) [ [ I
0
(A) A J
0
(Ar) 2J
1
(A) [ [
2A
2
J
0
(A) I
1
(A) I
0
(A) J
1
(A) [ [
;
k =
A
2
I
1
(A) J
0
(A) I
0
(A) J
1
(A)
J
0
(A) I
1
(A) I
0
(A) J
1
(A)
:
(30)
Equations (29)(30) can be employed both for Gr
+
=Re > 0
(buoyancy assisted ow) and for Gr
+
=Re < 0 (buoyancy
opposed ow). In the former case A is a real parameter,
while in the latter case A is a complex parameter.
The solution expressed by Eqs. (29)(30) is singular if A
is a positive real root of the equation
J
0
(A) I
1
(A) I
0
(A) J
1
(A) = 0 : (31)
Since reference is made to positive real roots, the case of
buoyancy opposed ow is considered. One can easily
verify that the smallest root of Eq. (31) corresponds to
Gr
+
=Re = 1808:02. According to the discussion pre-
sented in Ref. [17], one can conclude that the velocity and
temperature elds can be expressed in terms of a power
series with respect to the parameter Gr
+
=Re and that the
radius of convergence of this series is 1808.02.
On account of Eq. (30), in the case Br = 0, the modied
Nusselt number can be evaluated as
Nu
m
=
1
#
+
(1)
=
2A
2
J
0
(A) I
1
(A) I
0
(A) J
1
(A) [ [
J
0
(A) A I
0
(A) 2I
1
(A) [ [ I
0
(A) A J
0
(A) 2J
1
(A) [ [
:
(32)
3
Perturbation method solution
In this section, Eqs. (15)(18) are solved by utilising a
perturbation method. The special case of forced convec-
tion with viscous dissipation is considered as the base heat
transfer process and the effect of buoyancy is taken into
account by means of perturbation expansions with respect
to Gr=Re.
For a xed value of Br, the functions u(r), #(r), k and g
are expressed as power series with respect to the param-
eter N = Gr=Re, namely
u(r) = u
0
(r) u
1
(r) N u
2
(r) N
2
=

n=0
u
n
(r) N
n
;
#(r) = #
0
(r) #
1
(r) N #
2
(r) N
2
=

n=0
#
n
(r) N
n
;
k = k
0
k
1
N k
2
N
2
=

n=0
k
n
N
n
;
g = g
0
g
1
N g
2
N
2
=

n=0
g
n
N
n
: (33)
An exhaustive description of the perturbation method is
given in Refs. [15, 16]. To determine the value of the co-
efcients of the series which appear in Eq. (33), one sub-
stitutes Eq. (33) into Eqs. (15)(18) and collects terms
having the same power of the parameter N = Gr=Re. Then,
by equating to zero the coefcients of each power of N, one
obtains a series of boundary value problems which can be
recursively solved.
The boundary value problem of order zero yields the
solution in the special case of forced convection with
viscous dissipation, neglecting the buoyancy, and is writ-
ten as
1
r
d
dr
r
du
0
dr

= k
0
;
u
0
(1) = 0;
du
0
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
u
0
(r)r dr =
1
2
;
(34)
1
r
d
dr
r
d#
0
dr

= g
0
u
0

du
0
dr

2
;
d#
0
dr

r=1
=
1
2Br
;
d#
0
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
#
0
(r)r dr = 0 :
(35)
The solution of the boundary value problem (34)(35)
yields
u
0
(r) = 2(1 r
2
); k
0
= 8 ;
#
0
(r) = 4
1
2Br

r
2
2
1
8Br

r
4

4
3

5
24Br

; g
0
= 8
1
Br
:
(36)
In particular, Eq. (36) yields the well-known Hagen
Poiseuille expression of the velocity distribution. By em-
ploying Eq. (22), one obtains the usual expression of the
Fanning friction factor for isothermal ow in circular
tubes, f = 16=Re.
On account of Eqs. (20) and (36), one obtains
Nu =
1
11
48
Br
: (37)
Equation (37) yields the usual expression for the Nusselt
number in the case of forced convection with viscous
dissipation [18].
The boundary value problem, which corresponds to an
arbitrary n > 0, is
1
r
d
dr
r
du
n
dr

= k
n

#
n1
4
;
u
n
(1) = 0;
du
n
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
u
n
(r)r dr = 0 ;
(38)
133
1
r
d
dr
r
d#
n
dr

=

n
j=0
g
j
u
nj

du
j
dr
du
nj
dr

;
d#
n
dr

r=1
= 0;
d#
n
dr

r=0
= 0;

1
0
#
n
(r)r dr = 0 :
(39)
If #
n1
is known, one can determine u
n
(r) and k
n
by
solving Eq. (38), namely
u
n
(r) =
k
n
4
(1 r
2
)
1
4

1
r
dr
//
r
//

r
//
0
dr
/
#
n1
(r
/
)r
/
;
k
n
= 4

1
0
dr r

1
r
dr
//
r
//

r
//
0
dr
/
#
n1
(r
/
) r
/
:
(40)
On account of Eq. (40), by solving Eq. (39) one obtains for
#
n
(r) and g
n
the following expressions:
#
n
(r) =

r
0
dr
//
r
//

r
//
0
dr
/

n
j=0
g
j
u
nj
(r
/
)
du
j
(r
/
)
dr
/
du
nj
(r
/
)
dr
/

r
/
2

1
0
dr r

r
0
dr
//
r
//

r
//
0
dr
/

n
j=0
g
j
u
nj
(r
/
)
du
j
(r
/
)
dr
/
du
nj
(r
/
)
dr
/

r
/
;
g
n
=2

1
0
dr
/

n
j=0
du
j
(r
/
)
dr
/
du
nj
(r
/
)
dr
/

r
/
:
(41)
4
Discussion of the results
In this section, a 36 terms perturbation series has been
employed in order to determine the dimensionless velocity
and temperature distribution in the uid, for different
values of Br. The number of terms was enough to reach an
accuracy of four decimal points.
To evaluate the radius of convergence r
c
of each of the
series described by Eq. (33), the method described in
Ref. [16] has been employed. For a xed value of Br, all the
perturbation series dened in Eq. (33) have the same ra-
dius of convergence. Since the radius of convergence
cannot be dened for Br = 0, a modied radius of con-
vergence r
+
c
, given by the ratio between the radius of
convergence of the perturbation series and the modulus of
the Brinkman number, is introduced. In Fig. 1, the mod-
ied radius of convergence of the power series is plotted
versus the modulus of the Brinkman number, in both cases
Br > 0 and Br < 0. For Br = 0, as already discussed in the
previous section, the modied radius of convergence
corresponds to the smallest root of Eq. (31), i.e.
r
+
c
= 1808:02. The gure shows that, the cases Br > 0 and
Br < 0 are almost coincident. Of course, the cases Br =
and Br = are exactly coincident, since they corre-
spond to the boundary condition given by an adiabatic
wall. Moreover, for Br [ [ < 1 the modied radius of
Fig. 1. Plot of the ratio between the radius of convergence of the
perturbation series and the Brinkman number, versus [Br[
Table 1. Values of Nu
m
and f Re (in italic) for Br = 0, )0.001 and
0.001 and for Gr
+
/Re in the range )800 < Gr
+
/Re < 800
Gr
+
Re
Nu
m
f Re
Br = 0:001 Br = 0 Br = 0:001
)800 4.477 4.394 4.299
)22.84 )23.89 )25.14
)700 4.693 4.645 4.593
)15.77 )16.26 )16.80
)600 4.907 4.878 4.848
)9.519 )9.759 )10.01
)500 5.114 5.095 5.076
)4.001 )4.126 )4.253
)400 5.314 5.299 5.283
0.8933 0.8203 0.7470
)300 5.505 5.490 5.475
5.263 5.216 5.169
)200 5.687 5.670 5.653
9.192 9.162 9.131
)100 5.860 5.839 5.819
12.75 12.74 12.72
0 6.024 6.000 5.976
16.00 16.00 16.00
100 6.181 6.152 6.124
18.98 19.00 19.02
200 6.330 6.297 6.264
21.74 21.78 21.81
300 6.472 6.434 6.397
24.30 24.36 24.42
400 6.607 6.566 6.524
26.69 26.77 26.85
500 6.737 6.691 6.645
28.94 29.04 29.15
600 6.862 6.811 6.761
31.05 31.18 31.31
700 6.981 6.926 6.871
33.05 33.20 33.36
800 7.096 7.037 6.977
34.95 35.13 35.30
134
convergence of the perturbation series is larger if the
parameter Br is negative.
Let us rst compare the solution obtained analytically
for Br = 0 by means of Eqs. (29) and (30) with the solution
which has been obtained, by means of the perturbation
method, for small values of the Brinkman number, namely
Br = 0:001 and Br = 0:001. Values of the modied
Nusselt number and of the product f Re are reported in
Table 1, for Gr
+
=Re in the range 800 < Gr
+
=Re < 800.
This table shows that both the value of the modied
Nusselt number and that of f Re evaluated for Br = 0 lie
between the corresponding values assumed in the cases
Br = 0:001 and Br = 0:001. Moreover, the difference
between the case Br = 0 and the cases Br = 0:001 be-
comes more important as Gr
+
=Re [ [ increases. Both Nu
m
and f Re are increasing functions of the parameter Gr
+
=Re,
for the values of Br considered in Table 1.
In Table 2, values of Nu
m
and of the product f Re are
reported for Br = 0, Br = 1=2, Br = 1=5 and
Br = 1=10 and for Gr
+
=Re in the range
120 < Gr
+
=Re < 120. This table shows that f Re is a
strictly decreasing function of the ratio Gr
+
=Re if
Br _ 1=5 while it is a strictly increasing function of
Gr
+
=Re for higher values assumed by the parameter Br. It
can be easily checked that, if Br lies in a narrow neigh-
borhood of 0:19, the product f Re, is a function of Gr
+
=Re
which rst decreases and then increases. For instance, for
Br = 0:19 the minimum is reached for Gr
+
=Re 27:54.
The values of the modied Nusselt number for Br = 1=2
are negative because the wall heat ux is negative, but the
viscous heating is such that the wall temperature is higher
than the mean temperature in the uid. The behaviour of
the modied Nusselt number, if regarded as a function of
the ratio Gr
+
=Re, depends strongly on the values assumed
by the Brinkman number. In particular this function, for
increasing values of Gr
+
=Re, decreases if Br = 1=2 and
Br = 1=5. In analogy to the behaviour of the product
f Re, in a narrow neighborhood of 0:16, the modied
Nusselt number, if regarded as a function of Gr
+
=Re, rst
decreases and then increases; for instance, for Br = 0:16
the minimum is reached for Gr
+
=Re 371. Then, it in-
creases if Br = 1=10 and in the special case of forced
convection. Finally, for the positive values of Br consid-
ered in this table, Nu is a strictly decreasing function of the
parameter Gr
+
=Re.
Table 3 refers to Br = 1, Br = 10 and Br = , for
Gr=Re in the range 60 < Gr=Re < 60. Obviously, on
account of its denition, the modied Nusselt number for
Br is identically zero. This table shows that the
values of f Re obtained for Br = lie between those ob-
tained in the case Br = 10 and in the case Br = 10. The
difference between this three cases increases for increasing
values of [Gr=Re[. The values of Nu
m
for Br = 10 and
Br = 1 are negative because the wall heat ux is negative,
but the viscous dissipation effect in the uid is so intense
that the wall temperature exceeds the mean temperature.
The parameter f Re is an increasing function of Gr=Re for
all the values of Br considered in this table, while the
Table 2. Values of Nu
m
and f Re (in italic) for Gr
+
/Re in the range )120 < Gr
+
/Re < 120 and for different values assumed by the
parameter Br
Gr
+
Re
Nu
m
f Re
Br =
1
2
Br =
1
5
Br =
1
10
Br = 0 Br =
1
10
Br =
1
5
Br =
1
2
)120 )2.396 38.86 9.294 5.806 4.456 3.742 2.787
27.55 16.45 14.07 12.05 10.29 8.721 4.730
)100 )2.847 36.69 9.411 5.839 4.435 3.687 2.686
24.52 16.34 14.42 12.74 11.25 9.901 6.485
)80 )3.357 34.90 9.528 5.872 4.411 3.626 2.567
22.08 16.25 14.75 13.41 12.20 11.08 8.211
)60 )3.921 33.38 9.648 5.905 4.383 3.559 2.436
20.10 16.17 15.08 14.08 13.14 12.28 9.977
)40 )4.543 32.09 9.764 5.937 4.353 3.488 2.297
18.48 16.10 15.40 14.73 14.09 13.49 11.83
)20 )5.232 30.97 9.882 5.969 4.320 3.412 2.151
17.13 16.05 15.70 15.37 15.04 14.73 13.82
0 )6.000 30.00 10.00 6.000 4.286 3.333 2.000
16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00
20 )6.864 29.15 10.12 6.031 4.249 3.251 1.846
15.04 15.96 16.29 16.62 16.96 17.31 18.43
40 )7.844 28.40 10.24 6.062 4.211 3.167 1.690
14.22 15.93 16.56 17.23 17.93 18.67 21.18
60 )8.971 27.74 10.35 6.092 4.171 3.080 1.536
13.51 15.91 16.83 17.83 18.91 20.08 24.33
80 )10.28 27.14 10.47 6.122 4.130 2.992 1.388
12.91 15.90 17.09 18.42 19.90 21.55 27.93
100 )11.82 26.61 10.59 6.152 4.088 2.904 1.252
12.40 15.89 17.35 19.00 20.90 23.09 32.00
120 )13.65 26.14 10.70 6.182 4.045 2.815 1.133
11.97 15.89 17.59 19.57 21.91 29.36 36.46
135
Nusselt number is an increasing function of Gr=Re for
Br = 10 and Br = 1 and a decreasing function for
Br = 10 and Br = 1.
In Figs. 2 and 3, plots of the velocity and the temper-
ature eld in the uid are reported versus the dimen-
sionless radial coordinate for Br = 0, Br = 1=5 and
Br = 1=10. The plots in Fig. 2 have been drawn for
Gr
+
=Re = 120, which may correspond either to uid
cooling (q
0
< 0) and downward ow (U
0
< 0) or to uid
heating (q
0
> 0) and upward ow (U
0
> 0). On the con-
trary, the plots in Fig. 3 have been drawn for
Gr
+
=Re = 120. Figure 2 shows that an increase of Br
induces an increase of the dimensionless velocity in the
region next to the wall of the duct. On the contrary, Fig. 3
shows that the dimensionless uid velocity at the wall
decreases for increasing values of the Brinkman number.
Moreover, both gures show that the dimensionless tem-
perature at the wall is an increasing function of the pa-
rameter Br. In the case Br = 1=5, both for Gr
+
=Re = 120
and for Gr
+
=Re = 120 the temperature distribution
reaches a relative maximum at r = 0. Since Eq. (26) holds,
the condition d
2
#
+
=dr
2
< 0 at r = 0 implies that
g
+
u(0) < 0. Figures 2 and 3 show that the velocity dis-
tribution is not negative. This means that, when a relative
maximum of the dimensionless temperature distribution
occurs, the parameter g
+
is negative. Since a relative
maximum of #
+
occurs for a negative value of Br, the
condition g
+
< 0 implies that the viscous heating in the
uid exceeds the heat ux subtracted at the wall. This
circumstance is emphasized in Figs. 4 and 5, where the
Table 3. Values of Nu
m
and f Re (in italic) for Gr/Re in the range )120 < Gr/Re < 120 and for Br = 1, 10 and
Gr
Re
Nu
m
f Re
Br = )1 Br = )10 Br = Br = 10 Br = 1
)60 )3.626 )0.2512 0 0.2347 1.793
10.42 8.918 8.743 8.566 6.877
)50 )3.297 )0.2334 0 0.2188 1.697
11.08 9.815 9.669 9.523 8.150
)40 )2.997 )0.2162 0 0.2034 1.600
11.83 10.80 10.69 10.57 9.485
)30 )2.720 )0.1998 0 0.1886 1.501
12.67 11.89 11.81 11.72 10.91
)20 )2.463 )0.1840 0 0.1741 1.401
13.64 13.11 13.05 12.99 12.45
)10 )2.224 )0.1687 0 0.1601 1.301
14.74 14.47 14.44 14.41 14.13
0 )2.000 )0.1538 0 0.1463 1.200
16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00 16.00
10 )1.789 )0.1395 0 0.1330 1.099
17.46 17.75 17.79 17.82 18.11
20 )1.590 )0.1255 0 0.1199 1.000
19.17 19.78 19.85 19.91 20.52
30 )1.403 )0.1120 0 0.1072 0.9016
21.20 22.16 22.27 22.38 23.31
40 )1.226 )0.09917 0 0.09518 0.8076
23.64 24.98 25.13 25.28 26.56
50 )1.064 )0.08726 0 0.08399 0.7208
26.58 28.32 28.53 28.69 30.31
60 )0.9185 )0.07668 0 0.07405 0.6442
30.09 32.18 32.40 32.62 34.52
Fig. 2. Plots of u and #
+
versus r for Gr
+
=Re = 120 and
(a) Br = 1=5; (b) Br = 1=10; (c) Br = 0; (d) Br = 1=10;
(e) Br = 1=5
136
dimensionless velocity and temperature distributions in
the uid are plotted versus r for Br = 0, Br = 1=2 and
Br = 1. The plots in Fig. 4 have been drawn for
Gr
+
=Re = 60, while the plots in Fig. 5 refer to
Gr
+
=Re = 60. In both gures d
2
#
+
=dr
2
< 0 at r = 0 for
Br = 1 and for Br = 1=2. Figure 4 shows that an in-
crease of the viscous dissipation effect induces an increase
of the dimensionless velocity in a region next to the wall of
the duct. On the other hand, Fig. 5 reveals that, if the value
of Br is increased, the dimensionless uid velocity next to
the axis of the tube is enhanced. A comparison between
the dimensionless velocity distributions reported in the
upper frame of Figs. 4 and 5 shows that the case
Gr
+
=Re = 60 and Br = 1 yields a velocity distribution in
the uid which is similar to that found in the case
Gr
+
=Re = 60 and Br = 1. Moreover, both gures reveal
that the dimensionless uid temperature at the wall of the
duct is an increasing function of the Brinkman number.
In Figs. 6 and 7, plots of the dimensionless velocity and
of the dimensionless temperature distribution in the uid
are reported versus r for Br = , Br = 1=2 and
Br = 1. The plots in Fig. 6 have been drawn for
Gr=Re = 60, while the plots in Fig. 7 have been drawn for
Gr=Re = 60. Both gures show that the dimensionless
temperature at the wall of the duct is a decreasing function
of the Brinkman number. Moreover, these gures show
that the dimensionless velocity and temperature distribu-
tions in the cases Br = 1 and Br = 1 are similar to the
dimensionless velocity and temperature distribution in the
special case of adiabatic wall (Br = ).
Fig. 3. Plots of u and #
+
versus r for Gr
+
=Re = 120 and (a)
Br = 1=5; (b) Br = 1=10; (c) Br = 0; (d) Br = 1=10; (e)
Br = 1=5
Fig. 4. Plots of u and #
+
versus r for Gr
+
=Re = 60 and (a)
Br = 1; (b) Br = 1=2; (c) Br = 0; (d) Br = 1=2; (e) Br = 1
Fig. 5. Plots of u and #
+
versus r for Gr
+
=Re = 60 and (a)
Br = 1; (b) Br = 1=2; (c) Br = 0; (d) Br = 1=2; (e) Br = 1
137
Figure 8 refers to the special case of a pipe with an
adiabatic wall (Br = ). In this gure, plots of the velocity
and the temperature distribution in the uid are reported
versus r for Gr=Re = 70, Gr=Re = 0, Gr=Re = 40,
Gr=Re = 70. In particular, this gure shows that, for a
negative value of the ratio Gr=Re, there exists a region next
to the wall where both u and # are smaller than in the case
of forced convection. On the contrary, for a positive value
of the ratio Gr=Re, both u and # are greater than in the
case of forced convection in a region next to the wall of the
duct.
5
Coupled effects of viscous dissipation and buoyancy:
an example
In this paragraph, the convection coefcient and the
pressure-drop parameter will be determined in a special
case of practical interest, i.e. in the case of an engine oil at
290 K.
The thermophysical properties of this uid, as reported
in Ref. [19], are as follows: dynamic viscosity coefcient,
l = 0:999 Pa s; kinematic viscosity coefcient,
m = 1:12 10
6
m
2
/s; thermal conductivity, k = 0:145 W/
(m K); thermal expansion coefcient, b = 7 10
4
K
1
.
In Fig. 9, the convection coefcient h (upper frame) and
the pressure-drop dP=dX (lower frame) are reported ver-
sus the prescribed wall heat ux q
0
. Reference has been
made to a vertical duct with radius R
0
= 0:05 m, and to a
ow regime whose mean velocity is U
0
= 0:023 m/s. It can
Fig. 6. Plots of u and # versus r for Gr=Re = 60 and (a)
Br = 1=2; (b) Br = 1; (c) Br = ; (d) Br = 1; (e) Br = 1=2
Fig. 7. Plots of u and # versus r for Gr=Re = 60 and (a)
Br = 1=2; (b) Br = 1; (c) Br = ; (d) Br = 1; (e) Br = 1=2
Fig. 8. Plots of u and # versus r for Br = and (a)
Gr=Re = 70; (b) Gr=Re = 0; (c) Gr=Re = 40; (d) Gr=Re = 70
138
be easily veried that those values imply Re = 2054. In
both frames, line (a) has been obtained by modelling the
ow as mixed convection with no viscous dissipation; line
(b) has been obtained by modelling the ow as forced
convection with viscous dissipation; line (c) has been
obtained by modelling the ow as mixed convection with
viscous dissipation.
Since small values of q
0
have been considered, the effect
of the viscous dissipation, in this case, is denitely not
negligible. Figure 9 shows that the model of mixed con-
vection with viscous dissipation yields values of h very
similar to those obtained by neglecting the buoyancy ef-
fect, but quite different from those obtained by neglecting
the viscous dissipation effect. However, the behaviour of
dP=dX is strongly different in the three cases, thus
showing that neither the buoyancy effect nor the viscous
dissipation effect can be neglected. Moreover, as expected,
in Fig. 9 is evident that in the special case of forced con-
vection the pressure-drop dP=dX does not depend on the
prescribed wall heat ux.
6
Conclusions
The combined forced and free convection of a Newtonian
uid which ows in a cylindrical duct with circular cross
section has been analysed. The ow has been considered
laminar and parallel, and the effects of viscous dissipation
in the uid have been taken into account. A boundary
condition of prescribed and uniform wall heat ux has
been assumed. The Boussinesq approximation has been
employed and the reference temperature has been chosen
as the mean temperature in a cross section of the pipe.
Moreover, in order to neglect the dependence of the uid
properties on the streamwise coordinate, Morton's ap-
proximation has been utilised. The momentum balance
equation and the energy balance equation have been
written in a dimensionless form and solved by means of a
perturbation method. In particular, the dimensionless
velocity and temperature, as well as the dimensionless
parameters k and g, have been written as power series with
respect to the ratio between the Grashof number and the
Reynolds number. In fact, in the perturbation method,
forced convection with viscous dissipation has been re-
garded as the base heat transfer process. The radius of
convergence of the perturbation series has been estimated
and it has been shown to depend on the Brinkman num-
ber. Truncated perturbation series with 36 terms have
been employed to obtain values of the Nusselt number and
of the Fanning friction factor, as well as plots of the ve-
locity and temperature elds, for different values of the
ratio Gr=Re.
The presence of viscous dissipation in the uid has led
one to notice the following features:
(a) In the case of a heated duct, the effect of viscous
dissipation, for positive xed values of the parameter
Gr
+
=Re, reduces the value of the Nusselt number and
increases the value of the Fanning friction factor.
(b) If one considers the friction factor as a function of
Gr=Re for a xed value of Br, the cases Br = 10
almost coincide with the special case of adiabatic wall
(Br = ).
(c) As it has been already observed in previous papers,
if the ow is buoyancy assisted (Gr
+
=Re > 0), the
dimensionless velocity close to the wall of the duct
increases when the value assumed by Br increases.
On the contrary, when the ow is buoyancy
opposed (Gr
+
=Re < 0), the dimensionless uid
velocity close to the wall decreases for increasing
values of Br.
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